Nutritional Vulnerability in Older Adults

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A phenomenon has been gaining traction in the health community about the elderly as a vulnerable population and it's correlation to food insecurity.  Recent studies show that lean muscle mass, obesity, and increased frailty are greatly impacted by dietary adequacy. Especially older adults who are participating in the Older Americans Nutrition Act Program (OAANP). An abundance of adiposity is associated with chronic health conditions, including disability, decreased the quality of life and an increase in frailty, all leading to a greater risk for malnutrition and loss of independence. Surprisingly enough most promotions of health only focus on the lifespan and not necessarily health span which focuses on not just living longer but living well. Economics also plays a big part in food insecurity. The major known cause of malnutrition in older adults is low socioeconomic status, which in part connected to limited resources for purchasing food. Food cost, availability, distance and accessibility through transportation, influence dietary intake. Which means when one of ore more to these is impacted the older adults nutrition status decreases. Sadly 17.7% of older adults in the USDA 2013 survey are currently food insecure.

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